Pretty Pheonix

Chapter 13 | Bentwood

Bentwood Park. What a terrible name to call a park. I mean Bentwood? Seriously? They couldn't just call it Curved-wood or something that actually made sense?

Okay listening to it now; Curved-wood sounds even worse. Forget I even mentioned that.

So why am I criticizing the name of the park I'm going on an school field trip to, you ask?

One word: delay.

Yep. Some intelligent 4.0 thought it would be smart to fill one of the diesel-run school buses with patrol. You heard that right. Patrol. Honestly they should've thought of Vin Diesel, you know, the actor from Fast and Furious? He would be so mad to hear that this happened.

Just joking, he wouldn't care.

Anyway, because of that, we've been waiting out here in the scorching heat — yes I know it's just the beginning of the day and the sun isn't at its highest point yet — for the drivers to pump out the wrong fuel and switch it with the right one.

A lot of the other students are sitting in their cars, basking in their cool ACs before we're all huddle up in the school buses. Unfortunately, for a lot of my classmates, the only authorized vehicles for transporting to from excursions are the school buses.

The administration doesn't have trust in the students, which is understandable. I know a lot of kids who would abuse the opportunity. But this isn't so good for me either, because it means I will be sitting with these beasts in an enclose environment. Even sharing the same air! Poor me.

When the bus has been refueled and everything is good, the head teacher in charge, Mrs Pennyworth (no she's not the wife of Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's butler), tells everyone to board the buses.

I make my way into the third bus first and take a seat near the left window in the second last row.

"Listen up everyone! I want all of you to sit with your partners on the bus and I don't want to hear any complains." Mrs Pennyworth announces and a wide range of groans from everyone are heard, except for me, because I don't have a partner.

Some pairs are actually calm with the situation and don't mind as they get in and take their seats with each other, whilst others are hesitant and stubborn. One person in particular has even taken to begging Mrs Pennyworth for a compromise when she enters the bus.

"Please, I beg you!"

Pfft 'compromise'. How I joke.

"No, Miss Hart. I meant what I said and that's final. Furthermore, there are no more free spaces. Everyone has to sit with their partners." Mrs Pennyworth says strictly, her face growing impatient.

Olivia's helpless eyes travel around the bus and stop at the empty space beside me. When she spots me, her eyes light up and she quickly turns to Mrs Pennyworth.

"I could sit with Blair. She doesn't have a partner!"

I lift my bag from the floor and place it on the empty space beside me, earning a flip off from Olivia who notices.

Now I'm not usually a petty person but there are consequences to every choice, and she chose to push me out of her car while it was raining yesterday. So that's her problem.

I'll have to say that giving me the finger in front of the teacher is also another unintelligent decision made by Olivia.

The older woman gasps, "Miss Hart! Such inappropriate behavior is not allowed in this prestigious school. You're fortunate that I'm lenient enough not to report you to the dean of school at once. Now go to your partner, Mr Hornet!" She orders, like a mother scolding her stubborn child, and points to the seat beside Tom.